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xSYCHOLOGY 



^ 



OUR PERCEPTIVE 
FACULTIES, or 

WHAT IS IT 

TO KNOW A THING ? 



BY 




'ir:.>&:^:.im^m 



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OUR PERCEPTIVE FACULTIES 



or 



WHAT IS IT TO KNOW A THING? 



WITH AN 



INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER ON THE BENEFITS OF 
PSYCHOLOGY TO THE TEACHER. 



BY 



JOHN WARREN BALL, 

Editor of CURRENT HISTORT <t PEDAGOGICS. 
COPYRIGHTED 1 898. 



2nd COPY, 

I W. Ball, Publisher,^®^®- 
Rochester, N. Y. 



^^ 



\1><.\ 



<b^ 



INTRODUCTION. 



4234 



Is it possible to present in the few pages that follow, enough 
mental science to awaken an interest in the average teach- 
er that will create in them a desire to become better acquaint- 
ed with this facinating subject that they will not be content to 
stop with this little book, but will climb up higher? 

If you, reader, should get interested, write to the author of 
this book and he will be pleased to outline for you a course in 
Psychology free of all expense. 

The author, as far as he has gone, has given his readers some- 
thing more than theory. He has endeavored to present but one 
power of the mind namely, ''I know." The other two powers 
of the mind namely, ''I feel," and ''I will," may be presented 
later. 



Why Study Psychology? 

How is the best way to develope any power of the mind? 
The best and only way to develope any power of the mind is to 
USE IT. Systematic training of mind or body develops it. 

Why do we study in school many branches that we may 
never be called upon to use? Because we think the study of 
them will develope our mind. We study Geometry and 
Algebra in school, but rarely use them after leaving" school, yet 
the study of them helps to discipline our mind. 

Of what does Psychology consist? Psychology consists of 
assertions about our mind and the minds of human beings. 
In the analysis of the word Psychology we get Psyche, spirit 
and LOGY, discourse — a discourse on the spirit — mind. 

What is a mental fact? A mental fact is a fact known direct- 
ly to but ONE person and that the person experiencing it. 
''Nobody knows what one thinks but himself" is a very old say- 
ing and a very true one, and all of our thoughts are mental 
FACTS. We judge of the spirit by the action of the body. We 
see the body and its actions. We do not see the spirit that rules 
the body and make the body do its will. 

What benefits are derived from a study of Psychology? It 
will make a pupil think, and in so doing it will develope the 
power of thinking. Doctors study the body. Teachers 
should study the-spirit-mind that rules the body. How can 
we expect to know anything about a subject that we never 
study ? 

But is this the onlyreason why you study this subject? No, 
you study the subject because you think a knowledge of it will 
make you a better teacher. For the more we know about the 
mind the better prepared we are to train it. 

What is true teaching? True teaching is to get the minds of 
your pupils to do something, many things, which they would 
not have done apart from you. In time these minds will have 
grown to be something greater and stronger than the3/ would 
have been had they never met the true teaching. If a teach- 
er spends hour after hour teaching a class of pupils and does 
not train them to master the perplexities of the study v/orld, 
we think he or she has mistaken her vocation. No doubt he or 
she wants something more material to work upon than the in- 



[8 Our Pbrckptivk Faculties, or 

tellects of pupils. 

Can you hope to succeed in training and forming the minds 
of your pupils unless you have clear ideas of what you wish 
your pupils to become? Of course not, and it is for this reason 
as well that you take up the subject, Psychology. Yes, there 
are hundreds of teachers who assign lesson after lesson and 
never stop to think where all this work will end — on page 60 or 
page 70 would be their answer if asked. 

Should you have the same ideas for all of your pupils? It is 
not to be supposed that the true teacher will treat all of her 
pupil's minds in precisely the same way. School is not a mould 
into which the intellects of your pupils are to be run. Neither 
are the intellects of your children to be crammed as if they 
were the receptacle for all knowledge. Some of your pupils 
will become farmers, some carpenters some business men, etc. 
But even if you have pupils that are to become farmers, car- 
penters, etc., they all should have well trained minds. They 
will be more apt to succeed in any calling in life. 

Do the faculties of all pupils require, to a considerable extent 
the same kind of training? They do, and it is for this reason 
that nearly all pupils require the same kind of training or train- 
ing which will enable them to have well trained minds. 

As a result of true teaching what ought all your pupils possess? 
They all should become good observers. They- should be able 
to reason logically. They should possess good memories. 
They should have vivid imaginations, and they should reach 
correct conclusions from true premises i. E. have good judg- 
ment. ''Well trained minds" should be our watchword not 
''Well crammed minds." Anybody can cram a mind, but few 
can train it. A well crammed mind may succeed in* life but a 
well trained mind will succeed in life. 

What other thing will the study of Psychology do ? A study 
of Psychology will help you to see what you ought to aim at. 
It will give you an ideal toward which you will ever be work- 
ing. It will help you to see the true intellectual path along 
which you and your pupils should attempt to follovv^. 

How many things are necessary in order to succeed well in 
any difficult undertaking? Three things are necessary, viz: — 
One must see clearly the thing to be done ; one must know the 

Note. 'This little hook on mental .science is partly founded on Gordy's psy- 
cholog-y a book of over 300 pages mailed to any address for $1.25, post-paid 



What is it to Know a Thing? 9 

best WAY to do it; and then one must have the proper motive 
for doing it well. He would be a funny man who would not know 
what he wanted to do ; yet there are thousands of men and wo- 
men who go through life and never know that they want to do 
in order to become and fill a nitch in this very busy world. 
Again, if they come to any real conclusion of what they want 
to become or do, they have no correct ideas of how to do it, 
how to fit themselves to occupy the field they wish to enter, and 
as for a reason why they should do or become such, we hardly 
think they could tell if asked. 

Now why is this so? V\^e think it is a matter of education. 
We think it is because they have not w^ell trained minds. Per- 
haps nature is to blame but a very poor mind if properly train- 
ed, will be able to care for, and manage, a body, and bring 
success to it. 

How is the work of teachers who make no study of mind 
likely to be? Their work is quite likely to be mechanical. A 
majority of teachers teach in a mechanical way; and use 
mechanical means by which they secure mechanical results, — 
machine made pupils. 

How is the work of teachers who base their efforts on a 
knowledge of mind likely to be? Their work is quite likely to 
be rational. In comparing the above teachers we find this: 
while one ''teaches" the body the other seeks to train the mind; 
one aims at the body, the other aims to train the mind ; one 
questions, the body, the other appeals to the mind ; one sees the 
body, the other sees the mind ; as a result we have mechanical 
teaching and rational teaching. 

What may be said of true teaching? "It is the noblest of 
arts but the sorriest of trades." The teacher who deals with 
mind, appeals to the mnnd, sees the mind, seeks to train the 
mind of his or her pupils understands the art of true teaching; 
but the teacher who sees the body, appeals to the body, neglects 
the mind by not recognizing it and the motives of the pupil, 
finds fault with John, whips John for not having his lesson, 
knows teaching as a trade, and a sorry trade it is. 

What must the true teachers select and teach? What know- 
ledge is of the most worth to the pupil? One of the Keys to 
aiJl Knowledge is that power of discrimination that enables 

Note. As a reference work on the six senses, Sully's Outlines in Psychol- 
og-y was used. Book mailed to any address for $3.25, post-paid. 



lo Our Pkrce^ptivk KAcut'ri:^s, or 

the true teacher to select, at a glance, "the meats from the 
shucks." Point out and emphasis the knowledge that is of most 
worth. Do not try to teach too much. Many teachers fail by 
trying to pour all knovvdedge down the throats of their pupils. 

If you would command the respect and love cf your pupils 
show them that you. are the m.aster of every subject that you 
attempt to teach. 

Upon what does our power in dealing with mind depend? 
Upon our ability to get it so to act that the results we desire 
will follow. This is the teachers' work, not the pupils. But 
what miust the teacher do first? — Ans. vSupply the conditions 
which miake it possible for the miind to do the work we want it 
to do. But in order to know ''the conditions" and in order to 
judge Yv^hat the ''mind" is capable of doing we must know first, 
the intellectual caliber of our pupil ; — find out what he already 
knov/s in order to find out where he should continue on, at this 
point, "supply the proper conditions" — lessons, etc. For the 
better v/e knov/ the laws of the mind, the better we can supply 
the "correct conditions," and it is for this reason that we study 
Psycholog}^ 

Again, what does the true teacher do? Adapts the subject of 
instruction and gives details, so as to enable the mental condi- 
tion of the pupil to grasp it thus awaking an interest in the 
mind of the pupil — this is, "interest." But do not over interest 
your pupils. Interest them enough in the subject that they 
will of their ov/n effort, continue in it, making new discoveries 
in the intellectual world, this will m.ake and create, a mind 
thirsting for knowledge. 

Why do m-any pupils dislike school? The principal reason is 
because they are set to v/ork at something that they fail to com- 
prehend. The work given to them, by their tea.cher is not adapt- 
ed to the childs state of mental developement. The ''proper 
conditions" have not been supplied by the teacher. Children 
love the truth if stated right, they are not deceitful as a rule, 
and when they do not understa-nd, it ought to be very apparent 
to the teacher. System.atic and judicious questioning will soon 
enable the teacher to knov/ if what they have been studying is 
known to them, "I know but i cannot tell" is equivalent to 
I don't know but I WANT TO KNOW. When it is apparent to 

Note. Remember students, that a book is never mastered at one reading- 
Seventy times is much better. Try it. 



What is it to^^^Know a Thing. ii 

the teacher that the pupil does not understand the subject at 
hand, then go back, start at the right place, make them climb 
up the intellectual scale, supply the proper conditions and 
secure the results wanted. This is success, — successful teach- 
ing. 

Remember what a great teacher said — ''If our pupils do not 
learn it is our fault" — Remember, teachers, that first of all, you 
are to be masters of the subjects that you propose to teach, and 
that, though you have in your class pupils of about the same 
size in body there is always a difference in their state of mental 
developement. You say, ''May learns easily. Will is very 
slow to learn." Why? Look into the mental developement of 
the two mnnds. Were the conditions presented to both pupils 
the same ? Was the mental developement of the two minds the 
same? Ought not the conditions presented to Will to have 
been different? We think so. 



Sensation* 

All knowledg'e takes its rise in the senses — Sully. 

*'Our eye receives, light and color. 

Our ear vibrations of air." 

Our ideas can never go much beyond our sensations. The 
want of a sense, as in the case of one born blind, means depriv- 
ing the mind of a whole order of ideas. And if it were pos- 
sible, the addition of a nev/ sense v/ould enrich our mind by a 
new kind of knowledge respecting the world. 

WHAT IS MIND? 

What is mind? Children think about this watch, — now think 
about the thing that thinks about the watch. That thing that 
thinks about the watch, does your thinking, is your mind. 

Wha.t is Psychology? Psychology is the science of the soul 
— mind — or the products of the soul or mind — mental facts. 
The soul is that which THINKS, feels and wills. Yes, Psych- 
ology in short, is the science of the mind,— and what do we 
mean by mind? It is that which thinks, feels and wills. 

VVhat do you know about that mind which has thoughts, 
which feels, and which wills? You will probably say that it 
is the brain. If it is the brain, it takes up room, if it occupies 
space, then it m.ust be a material thing. Something that can 
be seen and handled. 



12 



Our Pkrckptiv:^ Facui.tie)s, or 



But what is a mental fact? It is the product of the mind. 
It is known to but one person and that is the one in which the 
mind threw off the product — the fact. See lesson i, and de- 
finition. 

What is a physical fact? It is a fact that any number of 
persons may know. Example: A wagon passes by ; 50 people 
saw it and all knew that a wagon went by, yet only one kept 
thinking, ''Oh, how I long to go home," and the other 49 did 
not know that the 50th man wanted to go home. This then is 
a mental fact ; it was known only to but one person, and that 
the one experiencing it. 

PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY. 

PSYCHOLOGY is the science of mental facts. 

MENTAL FACTS are products of the mind or soul. 

A MENTAL FACT is a fact known or knowable to but one 
person and that the person experiencing it. The mind does 
nothing but KNOW, feel and will. "I kno\^>." ''I feel." ''I 
will." This onl}^ can the mind of man do. 

All sensibility takes rise in the brain. 

Note. — As the brain is the seat of all sensation and as it is 
only through sensation or sensations that we are capable of 
knowing anything ; let us now consider the physical make-up 
of the brain of man. Nature has been kind to us in giving us 
definite sense organs — the eyes, ears, fingers, nose, tongue and 
muscles are the definite sense organs. 

By careful study the student will readily understand the following: Use your own 
mind to study your own mind. Think about the thing that does your thinking. 

( Organic sensation. 
Absence of definite sense organs 



Bbain 



General 



. Special 



These you feel in your stomach, 
or in your heart— nothing definite. 



SENSE ORGANS. 


MEDIUM. 


1. 


Eyes, 


Ether Vibrat'ns 


2. 


Ears, 


Air Waves, 


3. 


Hands, 


Contact, 


4. 


Nose, 


Contact, 


5. 


Tongue, 


Contact, 


6. 


Muscles, 


Contact, 



SENSES. 

Sight, 

Hearing, 

Touch, 

Smell, 

Taste, 

Muscular, 



RESULTS. 

You see. 
You hear. 
You feel. 
You smell. 
You taste. 
You feel. 



TO ILLUSTRATE :— Take the eyes. 

First comes four physical facts : 

I St. Exciting cause — Ether vibrations from some external 
object. 

2nd. Their action upon the optic nerve. 

3rd. Change in the optic nerve. 

4th. Change in the brain. 5th Result — sensation of sight — 
A mental fact. 



What is it to Know a Thing? 13 

The first four physical facts are so intricate that one is in- 
capable of noting each change ; but the change takes place 
nevertheless. Do we all have to learn to see? Yes, just as 
much as you. have to learn to talk only you are younger when 
you do it. 

WHAT IS A SENSE ORGAN? A sense organ is a struc- 
ture forming the peripheral termination, end-organ of a sensory 
nerve or group of nerves and is especially differentiated so as 
to react on a special kind of stimulas. The only exception to 
this is Touch. 

DEFINITION OF SENSE. A sense is the aggregate of 
simple mental facts arising by way of the stimulation of some 
sense organ. 

Under Physiological Psychology we have been studying the 
first great step in the study of the mind — sensation. 

Before we ever get beyond, in anything, we must realize this 
truth. All knowledge takes its rise in sensation ; the brain is 
the fountain head of all that we may ever know, feel, or will, — 
Know this, ye students. 

A PHYSICAL FACT is a fact that is known or knowable to 
a number of persons. In studying the above example We have 
No. I, 2, 3 and 4 as physical facts but number 5 — the result — 
SENSATION OF SIGHT IS a mental fact. 

SENSATION. A sensation is that simple mental fact that 
under normal circumstances directly follows the last change in 
the brain in consequence of the stimulation of a sensory nerve. 
This should be plain to the average student. Study it until 
you see it clearly. 

SIGHT. The sense of sight stands by common consent first 
in the scale of knowledge-giving senses. The sensations of 
sight are characterized by very fine local differences. 

HEARING. The sense of hearing ranks high as a know- 
ledge-giving sense. This is owing to the high degree of de- 
finiteness of its sensations. In respect both of intensity and 
of quality, fine differences are recognizable. As a set off 
against these advantages, hearing has very little local dis- 
crimination. 

TOUCH. By the sense of touch is meant the sensations we 
receive from the contact of bodies with the tactual organ ; these 
are sensations of contact, pressure or temperature. The sense 



14 Our PBRCBt^i'ivK F'acui.tiss, or 

of touch supplies us with, much more knowledge than the senses 
of taste and smell. It ranks third. 

SMELL AND TASTE. These approach the organic sensa- 
tions in want of definiteness, and the predominance of the 
element of feeling (pleasure and pain). They determine what 
is wholesome or unwholesome to the organism as a whole. 
Their position indicates this, placed as they are at the entrance 
of the digestive and respiratory cavities. They are of little 
importance as knowledge giving senses. 

MUSCULAR SENSE. The muscular sense consists of the 
sum of simple mental states or sensations which immediately 
accompany the action of the muscles. Examples : A move- 
ment of the arm or leg : — an effort to push a heavy body. 

The muscular sense cannot be classed with the special senses 
for the reason that the muscular sensations are due not to the 
actions of external objects like sense impressions bu^ to our 
OWN actions. Hence they are active states. While sense im- 
pressions, products of special senses, are passive states. Under 
the former we have feelings of exertion, muscular sense, etc. 

EXPLANATORY. 

1. Of what does our entire mental life consist? Of know- 
ing, FEELING and WILLING. 

2. Note under physiological psychology the medium used to 
convey sensations to sensory nerves was contact with the nerves 
with but two exceptions, the eyes and ears, in the first of these 
the medium was ether vibrations, in the second, air waves. 
Both the ether vibration and air waves depend upon motion 
and by some writers are classed as motion. 

To illustrate we will take the first and second senses; — 
A hunter sees his bird and fires, we see the smoke, ether vibra- 
tions, before we hear the report of his gun, air waves. Why? 
Because one travels much faster than the other. 

Again. Do waves of light, ether vibrations travel? We have 
said that they did. It is said that years would elapse should a 
bright star in the heavens be blotted out before you would still 
cease to see the rays of light coming from that star yet the star 
itself had been gone for years. 

Every external object is an exciting cause to every optic 
nerve tha.t is in good working condition. If you close your 
eyes you see nothing, all the physical facts, external objects, 
have vanished, all is darkness. 



Wha'T is It TO Know a I^hing? t$ 

There is no noise, so to speak, for vibrating air that does not 
reach an auditory nerve does not produce sound for sound is 
only produced when there is an auditory nerve in good w^orking 
condition to hear it. 

The special sense organs, hands, nose and tongue are so easily 
explained that we will not dwell upon them. Without some- 
thing to smell we could not smell, without something to touch 
we could not feel, without something to taste, we could not 
taste and halving something to, smell, touch and taste we could 
do nothing without certain nerves, v/hat are they? 

There is one step in their great science of psychology that 
man is not able to trace and that is this, what takes place in the 
brain directly before we have a sensation ? or having a sensa- 
tion, why do we have it? 



Perception^ 

Perception is the great primal(first) source of knowledge-SuLLY. 

But the act of perception is momentary, and there would be 
no enduring knowledge of things if it were not for memory. 

" What is it to know a thing?" We have said that " all knowl- 
edge takes its RISE in sensation," but if we should stop with sen- 
sation we would have no definite knowledge of anything. The 
senses or sensory nerves stand ready to drink in and produce 
sensations, but when we become conscious of anything existing 
apart from ourselves we have passed from the first step, " sensa- 
tion," to the second step, ''perception." We have perceived 
that there are many physical facts existing in the external world 
but we have yet to take one more step before we can call our 
knowledge definite and. complete. This third and last step in 
the process of " what is it to know a thing," is conception, and 
will be treated upon in our next lesson. To perceive is to 
GROUP sensations. If we have sensations by way of the eye, then 
we immediately have visual perception. If we have sensations 
by way of the ear, then we immediately have auditory perception. 
If our hands come in contact with some external object, then we 
immediately have tactual perception. And so with the other 
senses. That is, we are immediately made conscious that there 
are other things in this world, other than ourselves, and as we 
grow older we obtain a knowledge of these external things. If 
our senses are normal, we will have correct perception ; we will 



i6 Our PKRCEP'riv:^ F'ACui.TiE^s, or 

perceive many things and form many percepts. We will call upon 
other powers of the mind and ' there will spring forth remem- 
brance or m_emory. Every percept will make some impression 
on this great gift of mankind and we shall soon know when we 
see the same thing the second time and there will be formed in 
our mind a mental picture that will always remain with us. 

What is perception and what is its product ? — Answer. It is 
the act, power, or process of perceiving or obtaining a knowledge 
of external things, through the only means we have, senses. The 
product of perception is called a percept. What is image. It is 
a mental picture of a past percept. 

To perceive, is to group sensations together and we imme- 
diately have perception ; as a result of perception we form per- 
cepts of external things in our mind and with the aid of memory 
we remember them, and know them' whenever they are called 
up again by our sensations. 

The reason why many students who study this subject — Men- 
tal Science — fail to thoroughly comprehend the subject is be- 
cause of the conditions imposed by the writers of certain books. 
When we take up this suDJect we are of mature age, we have 
made many discoveries in this great world by and through the 
very processes that we try to explain in these pages, but if the 
student would stop and think he would soon recognize the three 
great processes of the mind — Sensation, Perception and Con- 
ception. Now in order to have any defi.nite knowledge of things 
we must be able to classify the things that are new to us. We 
soon become able to distinguish between the kingdom of things 
— Animal, Vegetable and Mineral, but this is only a small part 
of the work that stands awaiting the faithful student. You meet 
something growing out from the ground and you immediately 
exclaim: ''What a pretty flower." Yes you have passed 
through the three great processes of the mind, sensations by 
way of the eye, resulted in a percept — perception, — and it not 
being the first of the kind that you have experienced you took 
the next step — Conception which classified it. That is you put 
it into its proper class, and yet let us go further, every fiower 
has a name, do you know its name? This is definite knowledge. 



REVIEW. 
PSYCHOLOGY is the science of mental facts. 
MENTAL FACTS are products of the mind or soul. 



What is it to Know a Thing? 17 

A MENTAL FACT is n fact known or knowable to but one 
person and that the person experiencing it. The mind does 
nothing but know, feel and will. '' I know." " I feel." " I 
will." This only can the mind of m.an do. All sensibility takes 
rise in the brain. 

SENSATION. — A sensation is that simple mental fact that 
directly follow the last change in the brain in consequence of 
the stimulation of a sensory nerve. 

PERCEPTION might be called that process of the mind which 
interprets our sensations. 

NOTE. — By careful study the student will readily understand the following. It 
illustrates the first two acts of your mental life in what is it to know a thing. 

ACT I. 

Sensation. 

Note. — The following is true using 
any one of the five senses. 

1. Exciting cause — (some external ob- 
ject. ) 

2. Action upon the nerve. 

3. Change in the nerve. 

4. Change in the brain. 



ACT IL 

Perception. 
The product of perception is a percept. 

1. We must be conscious of definite 
sensations. 

2. We must group these sensations 
with images of sensations already ex- 

5. Result — And we have a sensation.^ pei'ienced. 

3. We must think of these sensations 
as qualities of objects having a more or 
less definite position in space 



Note. — i, 2, 3 and 4 are physical facts 
antecedents to a Sensation. 

A Physical Fact is a fact that is 
known or knowable to any number of 
persons, yet it may be so delicate and in- 
tricate that a person is unable to see it ; 
as in the four above examples. It is a 
physical fact, nevertheless . 



4. Result. — A percept, newly exper- 
ienced or a recall of a past percept. 

Note. — In order to reach a percept the 
mind must take these three steps. 



Conception* 

The product of conception is a concept. A concept is formed 
by means of an inspection of individuals or things. — Sully. 
And might be defined as a '' bundle of percepts." 

Conception is that act of the mind by which it forms an idea 
of a class or that act of the mind that enables us to use general 
names intelligently.— Gordy, 

The child's first knowledge of external things is very vague 
and confusing. He struggles with the sense organs nature has 
given him and soon passes through the first two acts in ' ' what 
is it to know a thing?" 

The child soon learns to know individuals, persons and things. 

Then he soon has a mental picture of a class, and in time, 
many classes. 



1 8 Our Pkrckp'Tivk Facui^tiks, or 

From his knowledge of individuals — persons and things — he 
gains by comparison, abstraction and generalization, the class 
to which a person or thing belongs. 

As a result he has performed the third act in ' * what is it to 
knov/ a thing?" and has conception — definite knowledge. 
'' Everything put into its proper class." 

Conception. — Class. — The sensations from some external 
object resulted in a percept — several percepts resulted in a con- 
cept — and we said it was a '' chair." Again: Have 3/ouseen my 
new lamp? Sensations by way of ear resulted in percepts — 
percepts aided by memory and our mental picture of the class 
referred to resulted in a concept. Our conception of v/hat his 
new lamp is like, is rather vague, as yet, for Vv^e have not seen 
this individual lamp, but we do knov/ the class — lamp. 

What is a mental picture of a class? A. We have said that a 
class consisted of a collection of individuals resembling each 
other in certain particulars. Now a mental picture of a class is 
the mental image that the child has of any particrJar class, and 
might be termed "composite." When I say " horse" you ivcx- 
mediately have a mental picture of that class but of no particu- 
lar horse. 

What does the child learn first, class or individuals? A. The 
first knoAvledge of things external is not of class but of individ- 
ual things. You cannot know class until you know the individ- 
uals that may constitute the class. 

What is comparison? A. When you fix your '^attentions" 
upon two or more objects at the same time and "compare" 
them one with the other, as to their likeness or unlikeness. 

What is abstraction? When you withdraw your attention 
from several objects and concentrate your whole mind upon one 
object or some one of its parts. 

What is generalization ? When you generalize and conclude 
that such and such person or things should go into such and 
such classes, and carry a general name. — The student should 
note that the mind perceives resemblances more easily than 
differences. 

What three acts constitute conception? A. Comparison, ab- 
straction and generalization. 

Again. What new power of the mind has, as it were, sprung 
into being? A. Attention. Without attention assisted by " I 
will," the " will," the act of " what is it to know a thing?" " I 



Whai' is i'T to Know a Thing ? 19 

know," would be feeble, and hence forth "attention," plays 
one of the most important parts in our mental life. He who 
gives attention, learns. There is no genius but " attention." A 
healthy mind in a healthy body can accomplish almost anything 
backed tip by a strong " I will " and ''attention." The true 
teacher cultivates this power of the mind, " attention " in her 
pupils but she can unlock the door of " interest " and there will 
spring forth a desire on the part of the pupil that will create in 
them a thirst for knowledge that will rival attention, and will 
remain with them always. 



REVIEW QUESTIONS. 

NOTE: When you have mastered this little book you can answer any question 
here asked readily. Try it. It's a matter of "attention" and "will." 

1. Where does all knowledge take its rise? 

2. What is mind? 

3. Define Psychology. 

4. What is a mental fact? 

5. What is a physical fact? 

6. How many senses have we? 

7. Name each sense organ ;the medium used;the sense ;result. 

8. Illustrate your answer. 

9. Name the two divisions of organs. 

10. Which are nearer the brain, "special" or "general?" 

11. Define the following: sense organ; sensation; sight; sense; 

hearing; touch; smell; taste; muscular sense. How 
does the sixth sense differ from the other five? 

12. Of what does our entire mental life consist? 

13. What is perception and what is it product? 

14. What is it to know a thing? 

15. When do we have visual perception? Auditory perception? 

Tactual perception ? 

16. What is image? 

17. What power of the m^ind aids us in perception? 

18. Give the four steps in sensation. 

19. Give the three steps in perception. 



20 Our Pkrckptive Facui^tiks, or 

2 0. What is conception and what is its product? 

21. What does the child soon learn? 

22. After he becomes acquainted with individuals what does 

he soon acquire? 

23. How does he gain conception? 

24.. What is a mental picture of a class? 

25. Which does the child learn first, class or individuals? 

26. Define : comparison ; abstraction ; generalization. 

27. What three acts constitute conception? 

28. What new power of the mind has sprung into being? 

29. What makes the boy a great and successful man? Ans. 

The '-will," and "attention," if other powers of the 
mind are rightly directed. 

30. What is interest? Illustrate your answer. 








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